England Counties XV is a representative
rugby union
Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In it ...
team, formed in 2002, open to English players who play in the
County Championship
The County Championship (referred to as the LV= Insurance County Championship for sponsorship reasons) is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales and is organised by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). It bec ...
and the
third tier (and below) of the
English rugby union system
Men's Rugby union in England consists of 106 leagues, which includes professional leagues at the highest level, down to amateur regional leagues. Promotion and relegation are in place throughout the system.
Women's Rugby union in England cons ...
.
Players from the
Premiership and
RFU Championship
The RFU Championship is an English rugby union competition comprising twelve clubs. It is the second level of men’s English rugby and is played by both professional and semi-professional players. The competition has existed since 1987, when ...
are ineligible.
[Nigel Walrond. ''Penberthy crowns wonderful season''. Independent.]
2019 matches
2018 matches
2017 matches
2016 matches
2015 matches
The England Counties squad for the tour of Romania was:
Forwards: Matthew Beesley (Wharefdale & Cheshire), David Laverick (Hull Ionians & Yorkshire), Stephen Johnson (Hull Ionians & Yorkshire), Craig Williams (Redruth & Cornwall), Andrew Berry (Old Albanians & Hertfordshire), Brett McNamee (Old Albanians & Hertfordshire), Samuel Wilkes (Cinderford & Gloucestershire), Ben Hilton (Launceston & Cornwall), Christopher Wearmouth (Blaydon& Durham), George Oram (Blackheath & Kent), Keith Laughlin (Blaydon & Northumberland), Gavin Jones (Blaydon & Yorkshire), Evan Stewart (Fylde & Lancashire), Harry Bate (Blaydon & Northumberland), Nyle Davidson (Caldy & Cheshire).
Backs: William Crow (Dorking & Surrey),
Matthew Shepherd
Matthew Joseph Shepherd (born February 21, 1976) is an attorney from his native El Dorado, Arkansas, who is a Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives for District 6, which includes western Union County. He was elected in the ...
(Launceston & Cornwall), Alexander Gallagher (Blackheath & Kent), Sebastian Rodwell (London Irish Wild Geese & Gloucestershire), James Spiers (Old Albanians & Hertfordshire), Samuel Winter (Bishop Stortford & Hertfordshire), Leo Fielding (Cinderford & Gloucestershire), Albert Portsmouth (Cambridge & Eastern Counties), Nevaro Codlin (Coney Hill & Gloucestershire), Jordan Dorrington (Fylde & Lancashire), Henry Robinson (Darlington Mowden Park & Hertfordshire), Michael Wilcox (Cinderford & Gloucestershire).
2014 matches
2013 matches
The England Counties squad for the Belgium tour in June 2013 was:
Forwards: Harry Broadbent (Caldy & Cheshire)
Royce Cadman (Hull Ionians & Yorkshire)
Mark George* (Stourbridge & Gloucestershire)
Matt Hall* (Blaydon & Northumberland)
Michael Hill (Birmingham Bees and North Midlands)
Ben Hilton* (Launceston & Cornwall)
Steve Hipwell (Cambridge & Eastern Counties)
Darren Jacques* (Redruth & Cornwall)
Robbie Kalbraier* (Blaydon & Northumberland)
Adam Kettle (Doncaster & Cheshire)
James Lindfield (Blackheath & Kent)
Brett McNamee (Old Albanian & Hertfordshire)
Tom Stradwick* (Blackheath & Kent)
Chris Wearmouth*(Blaydon & Durham)
Backs:
Drew Cheshire (Luctonians & North Midlands)
Nevaro Codlin (Cinderford & Gloucestershire)
Chris Hallam (Doncaster & Yorkshire)
Chris Harris (Tynedale & Northumberland)
Matt Heeks* (Rosslyn Park & Eastern Counties)
Chris Johnson* (Fylde & Lancashire)
Rhys Owen (Loughborough & North Midlands)
Heath Stevens (Plymouth & East Midlands)
Sean Taylor (Preston & Lancashire)
Ollie Thomas* (Moseley & North Midlands)
Nielson Webber (Launceston & Cornwall)
Jim Wigglesworth* (Cambridge & Yorkshire) *Capped by the England Counties
The England Counties squad for the February matches was:
Forwards Dave Allen (Blackheath); Tom Fidler (Cambridge); Mark George (Stourbridge); Matt Hall (Blaydon); James Inglis (Esher); Billy Johnson (Old Albanian); Robbie Kalbraier (Blaydon); Alex Loney (Fylde); Sam Shires (Ealing Trailfinders); Ollie Stedman (Tynedale); Will Warden (Richmond); Ben West (Cinderford).
Backs Jack Adams (Cinderford); Lewis Barker (Coventry); Scott Barrow (Fylde); Nev Edwards (Rosslyn Park); Chris Elder (Esher); Matt Heeks (Rosslyn Park); Peter Hodgkinson (Ealing Trailfinders); Will Hurrell (Stourbridge); Ollie Marchon (Old Albanian); Rory Teague (Blackheath).
2012 Tour of East Africa
The team toured
East Africa in early June 2012. While there they played a match against the
East Africa rugby union team which, though established in 1950 and having previously faced the
British Lions (twice), the
Springboks
The South Africa national rugby union team, commonly known as the Springboks (colloquially the Boks, Bokke or Amabokoboko), is the country's national team governed by the South African Rugby Union. The Springboks play in green and gold jersey ...
,
Wales
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...
and the
Barbarians
A barbarian (or savage) is someone who is perceived to be either uncivilized or primitive. The designation is usually applied as a generalization based on a popular stereotype; barbarians can be members of any nation judged by some to be les ...
, was playing its first fixture in almost exactly 30 years The tour was designed to aid this region re-ignite its rugby heritage.
;2012 Matches
The England Counties squad was:
Forwards Rob Baldwin (Wharfedale & Yorkshire)
Joe Bonner*^ (Blackheath & Kent)
Richard Boyle^ (Newcastle Falcons & Northumberland)
James Cleverly (Blackheath & Kent)
David Dickinson* (Tynedale & Northumberland)
Billy Johnson (Unattached & Hertfordshire)
James Lindfield (Westcombe Park & Kent)
Dave Marwick (Stockport & Cheshire)
Louis McGowan*^ (Sedgley Park & Lancashire)
Ben Pons (Moseley & North Mids)
Gareth Rawlings (Fylde & Lancashire)
Jared Saunders (Saracens & Hertfordshire)
Craig Voisey^ (Moseley & North Mids)
Sam Wilkes* (Cinderford & Gloucestershire)
Backs
Chris Briers*^ (Fylde & Lancashire)
Will Burton (Luctonians & North Mids)
Phil Chesters* (Ealing & Devon)
Steve Hamilton^ (Unattached & Yorkshire)
Peter Hodgkinson*^ (Ealing & Cheshire)
Toby Howley-Berridge (Unattached & Eastern Counties)
Stefan Liebenberg* (Bedford & Hertfordshire)
Harry Peck*^ (Tynedale & Northumberland)
Jack Smales^ (Nevers & Northumberland)
Rory Teague (Cinderford & Gloucestershire)
Tom Wheatcroft* (Ealing & Warwickshire)
Jim Wigglesworth (Hull & Yorkshire)
Players on standby
Rob Schillachi^ (Hertford & Hertfordshire); Jamie Salter (Launceston & Cornwall); Chris Wearmouth* (Blaydon & Durham); Gavin Jones (Blaydon & Yorkshire); Philip Woodhead* (Wharfedale & Yorkshire); Tyson Lewis (Plymouth & Devon)
* Key * Represented England Counties in Spring Internationals ^ Represented England Counties on previous Tour
2011 Tour of Spain
The England Counties squad was:
Forwards: Rob Baldwin (Wharfedale & Yorkshire), Daegan Beaumont (Worthing & Sussex), Richard Boyle (Tynedale & Northumberland), Matt Hall (Blaydon & Northumberland), Ben Hilton (Launceston & Cornwall), Martin Kent (Macclesfield & Cheshire), Aaron Myers (Westoe & Durham), Steve Pape (Rosslyn Park & Somerset), Jack Preece (Birmingham Solihull & Gloucestershire), Rob Schillaci (Hertford & Hertfordshire), Ben Sparks (Stourbridge & Gloucestershire), Tom Stradwick (Henley & Kent), Tommy Taylor (Sale Jets & Cheshire), Craig Voisey (Moseley & North Midlands), Gavin Woods ( Caldy & Cheshire).
Backs:
Oliver Brennand (Fylde & Lancashire),
Gareth Collins
Gareth Collins (born 1983) is a former English-Welsh rugby union player who is currently head coach at Melton Mowbray and Head of Psychology at The King's School Grantham. A Leicester Tigers youth player, Collins was a versatile back who made hi ...
(Leicester Lions & Warwickshire) (Captain), Steve Hamilton (Rotherham & Kent), Peter Hodgkinson (Ealing & Cheshire), Tom Hughes (Preston Grasshoppers & Lancashire), Cameron Mitchell (Plymouth Albion & North Midlands), Charlie Mulchrone (Macclesfield & Cheshire), Fergus Mulchrone (unattached & Cheshire), Harry Peck (Tynedale & Northumberland), Aaron Penberthy (Redruth & Cornwall), Ollie Thomas (Moseley & North Midlands), Curtis Wilson (Leeds & Yorkshire).
England Counties have met the Spanish national side once previously. Both took part in a FIRA Festival in southwestern France in 2007, when the Counties were 21–15 winners in
Morlaàs.
2010 Tour of Canada
[
]
2009 Tour of Korea and Japan
2008 FIRA/AER Rugby Festival in France
2008 Tour of USA and Canada
2007 Tour of Russia
England Counties under-20
England Counties under-18
References
External links
*
*
{{England national rugby union team, state=collapsed
2002 establishments in England
Counties
A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
County Championship (rugby union)